World-class theatre sets new standard for Waikato When the then-Chair at Momentum Waikato Leonard Gardner first pondered how to deliver a world-class theatre to the region, it was to an established box-ticking framework that he turned.
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t was 2016. Hamilton City Council had already made the decision to close the city’s flagship Founders Theatre and were considering how to replace it. Momentum Waikato approached the Council with a proposal. Chair Leonard Gardner and his team had already worked through a strategy they applied to projects, a term he framed as TISO. “TISO stands for Transformational, Intergenerational, Strategic Outcomes,” Gardner said. “Momentum trustees had come up with that about a year prior, and when the Theatre opportunity arose, we saw this as a great strategic fit to serve the Waikato community, and a reason to step into a leadership role to make it happen.” With the green light given to the co-operative venture between HCC and Momentum, a series of meetings followed, intended to work out exactly what was wanted, define the Theatre’s specifications and identify a location. “There were two significant parts to it,” Gardner said. “We wanted to deliver a venue that would see the best in the world wanting to come to the Waikato, and where the best in Waikato could be seen by the world.
“With that in mind, we partnered with international theatre designers Charcoalblue to determine what would make the Theatre a success and find the right location to put it on, with a view to it meeting requirements well into the future. In developments such as this, the locality is simply an enabler. We looked at 28 different potential sites based on certain criteria.” Among those locations was the
“There were two significant parts to it. We wanted to deliver a venue that would see the best in the world wanting to come to the Waikato, and where the best in Waikato could be seen by the world.” Leonard Gardner
existing Founders site, Hamilton Gardens, Waikato University, Claudelands Event Centre and elsewhere in the CBD. A shortlist brought the 28 down to seven potential sites, with the old Hamilton Hotel site at the south end of Victoria
St finally chosen as the preferred option. There were solid reasons for that. “It was considered the best in terms of connecting with the river, it would help rejuvenate the city and there were benefits linked to its proximity
Fosters’ Commercial Director Leonard Gardner, who has been with the project right from the beginning, says the new theatre sets a new standard for Hamilton and the Waikato. Photo: Likeable Lab
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Proud to have played a significant role in the Waikato Regional Theatre Project.
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